How long does it take for the "angry hormones" to leave your body?
How long does it take for the “angry hormones” to leave your body?
Example situation: I was once honked at by a rude person, and I remembered becoming upset in a strange way. The angry thoughts came in waves. I’d ruminate over the situation, trying to intellectualize myself out of the anger. It didn’t work, and I became overall pessimistic and I sort of gave a lecture on morality to that person in my head. You know what I mean..
Oddly, a few hours later, the heaviness lifted, just by itself, and I was able to smile and keep light and enjoy myself again.
So it made me wonder if that had anything to do with hormones being worn out.
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
Answers
It’s the fight or flight response and it’s adrenaline, rather than hormones. Hard to predict when the body will relax;; sometimes meditating for a few minutes will help you calm down.
If you read my link, you will see the amazing physiological responses of your body. It is not surprising that it takes a while to while to return to “normal.”
Adrenalin can be in it’s free state for many hours, even causing insomnia.
There are techniques to deal with this situation. Consult a physician if it bothers you too much.
It sounds as if the situation triggered some long-held anger about something else (thus the anger out of proportion to the occasion nd coming in waves).
I am not sure it has anything to do with hormones more with feelings.
OK I found an answer, somewhat… A short answer for now anyway:
source: http://www.quora.com/Stress-and-Coping/How-long-does-it-take-for-stress-hormones-cortisol-adrenaline-to-leave-the-body-after-a-single-acute-stress-event-like-an-accident-or-argument
Q: How long does it take for stress hormones (cortisol & adrenaline) to leave the body after a single acute stress event like an accident or argument?
I’m not thinking about chronic stress, but rather a reaction to an event. A dog trainer told me it is 48 hours for dogs. I wondered if it is similar for humans. Also, how much variation is there from one human to the next?
A: The event is important to the amount of epinephrine that the body releases and the half life of the amount varies from person to person.
” The half-life of plasma epinephrine in humans is approximately 1.2 minutes (15), the half-life of norepinephrine approximately 2.5 minutes.”
Damn! This is nuts. Beacuse it’s hard for me to control my initial reaction I get mad easily. Cortisol… I guess the best way to counter is to exercise and get all that good stuff pumping through the veins.
@ShaChris23 I think I have Super anger hormones then, usually 30 minutes to calm down if I’m really revved up..lol
For me, personally, about three beers.
there are some outstanding answers posted above but i can only speak from personal experience
Whoa look how I spelled “Because” up there… errr. Also to add to some info, another reason it’s bad to be angry is those chemicals are processed in the liver as a toxin.
It depends on your conscious thoughts. Anger as such is an automatic primary emotion. But once you realize its presence consciously, you have a choice to let it linger or let it fade away.
@mattbrowne Thank you.
I’m not sure if I was the one being in control, to the extent that I could tell the body to stop this fuming/restlessness. I wish! During those two hours, I occasionally got up and paced around my desk because that driver was extremely rude to me.
And, then…. it was gone. I didn’t have to try to forgive her.
That’s why it’s amazing to see what these hormones are doing to your body, and how I can learn more about it. If I can stop being restless as soon as cortisol/adrenaline exits my body, then.. more power to me.
Another way to describe this “hormone entering-leaving body” is like drinking coffee. Coffee gives me an instant boost of energy and, sometimes, optimism. The effects wear off in an hour or two.
@ShaChris23 – In certain cases anger can lead to something good (which is the reason humans experience it), e.g. creating a plan against unjust things that are ongoing. However, reinforcing the anger unnecessarily with conscious thoughts harms our creativity.
Response moderated (Writing Standards)
Answer this question